Youth

Two crisp dollars were tentatively slid across the counter over to her. He was young, definitely a prepubescent sport and, with a glance to the left of him, he was surely dared to do this by his group of cronies or he was trying to prove himself. Noticing a lack of confidence she figured it was the latter.

She slipped the money into the jar beside her and brought him closer with the command of her finger. And she planted a soft kiss onto his button nose, a laugh threatening to claw from the recesses of at his scrunched up features. For a more effective measure, she pressed her rosy mouth upon his cheeks, leaving more than one imprint of her lips on his innocent face.

She thanked the boy for his charity and sent his beaming red self away with a wink.

"Ah, boys will be boys." Chaerin murmured as she saw him enveloped by the rabid pack of boys, whooping and hollering at his bravery.

She cracked her fingers and prepared to attend to the rest of her endearing customers.

"Now, do we get to choose our method of-?"

"Ah, ah. No, I hold that power. You just have to count on your luck, my friend. Which, in your case, wouldn't be too lucky."

"Chaerin-ah."

"Lee Seunghyun."

He barked out a laugh and pointed to his untouched cheek, agreeing to her own method.

Trying to stifle a groan, she pecked his cheek and smacked him upside the head upon his attempt to turn his head. "Yah, get out of here!"

She really hoped he would not speak of this to the others, or, you know, she could close his wind-pipe, crush his vocal cords. Yeah, she could silence him forever and doubted anyone would have a problem with that.

"How's the kissing booth holding up?"

Oh, she knew that husky voice anywhere.

"Pretty well, actually. Although most of my customers have been teens; it's pretty cute."

Yongguk sat beside her, beaming with his signature gummy smile. "Have they all been hormone-raging teenagers?" His eyebrow rose up, suggestively.

And, just like that, her skin flushed a red hue. "We are not having this discussion." She hoped her clipped tone would end that matter. But, he was a persistent sort, if anything.

"Hmm. Any attractive, young men desperate for a kiss, Chaerin?" He was resting his head on his arm, eyes shining merrily at her.

She almost relented and unveiled the few takers that were quite charming. Yongguk had too much power over her, she decided.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not." She responded miffed.

He broke out into laughter.

And she ignored the fluttering of her heart.

Ever since they discovered the other working at the Volunteer Children's Services Center they had become good friends. It was almost like they were inseparable, at least when it came to volunteering their services at the center. She couldn't pinpoint when exactly, but she was bombarded for more than friendly sentiments towards Yongguk. It was brutal to care for a friend so dearly.

There was a fundraising carnival for the volunteer center held annually lasting for an entire week. Today was the first and things had gone slick and smooth. They had signed on for different activities, thus effectively leaving them distraction free and focused on their occupation. Through some mishap Chaerin was certain her friend was responsible for, she had ended up with the kissing booth - selling her priceless kisses, well, for two dollars. But, she couldn't complain if it was beneficial for her children.

"Did you get assigned anything," She waved her hands in front of her stand. "more interesting than this? Without tainting your holy innocence?"

"Ah, can any-other job truly beat out this particular booth?" He heaved a dramatic sigh. "I was stuck with managing a ticket booth. Only I have already input

my time and Kibum took over for his shift."

"Hah, I suppose mine is more interesting in that case. But, I'm not too fond of handing out my kisses to strangers. For my children, for my children." Chaerin cried, throwing her clenched fist in the air.

"I'm free, I can take-over for you if you want."

She almost accepted the offer until her thoughts went up in a flurry and reminded her that it would then be Yongguk selling his precious kisses for two measly dollars. The mere image of him presenting his lips to another female had her insides knotting in fury.

"No, that's fine!" She protested profusely. "I signed up for this. No going back now. Plus, you just got off your shift. I will not be the one to burden you."

She was cut off by the approach of a suave face, money dangling from his fingertips. He placed it into the jar and her eyes widened. He had provided a twenty-dollars worth of kisses - a whole ten kisses worth!

Her skin tingled at Yongguk's fixed, unwavering gaze upon her form.

"Thank you for your help to a good cause." Her words were brushed aside by the wind and she steered her face towards him. She peppered his face with her lips, marking him with her red lipstick and she hovered a little longer over his features as she considered how to end the last one. It was more of an unofficial rule, but a rule nonetheless. Anyone that donated ten or more of their greens was to be rewarded with the grandest kiss.

It would not have mattered much if he wasn't there, transfixed by her actions.

Oh, to hell with him.

She melded her lips to the customer's thin mouth and felt him gasp against her, startled by her deed. It was a light graze of the lips should she be asked how it went. Chaste, pure, sweet.

She was wrenched away from the man, Yongguk's grasp on her arm ever-tight. She did not have time to process his expression as he quickly bid the customer farewell and closed the stand.

"Wait, just a minute! What are you doing?" A hiss slipped past her flabbergasted self.

He turned towards her abruptly, expression dark, eyes intense. "Don't you think you went a bit too far? What if he genuinely liked you and there you go and do that, encouraging the poor guy-"

"You don't manage the booth. You don't know the rules. Listen to your senior and shut up." She emphasized her bubbling anger by stabbing his chest with each sentence.

"I know what I was doing and if I led him on in anyway than I will handle it. Don't go acting so high and mighty with me." Chaerin sneered.

Her anger gave way to surprise as he shoved a fistful of crinkled dollars at her. "What on earth-?"

He silenced her inquiry with a kiss of his own - harsh, ferocious, and rough. It tasted just like him, just like she imagined it would. She latched onto him, eagerly responding to his touches. He was almost savage - consuming her lips, devouring her heart and soul, playing her body to his tune.

She was lost in the bliss, anger and restraints cast aside - she was not even sure he was really fervently kissing her.

She found she didn't mind.

His teeth grazed and it was enough to rip her away from her rapture. She kept him at arms length, struggling to catch her breath.

He was flushed, eyeing her vividly, unguarded - she slapped him.

"What the hell." She spat, uncaring of his appalled expression. "Let me make one thing clear, you do not just go and hand me money and kiss me however you want. Unacceptable. Something like that doesn't even work at my booth, which you so rudely dragged me away from!"

"You didn't seem to mind very much." He dodged her fist and clamped down on her wrist.

"Now, let me make one thing clear." His tone only deepened as he loomed over her. "You do not go and plant your mouth on someone else's for a few bucks. Such a kiss is worth more."

"Oh," She snorted. "That didn't stop you."

"Please, don't kiss other guys."

"Why does it matter to you?"

"Because I..." His words faltered. "You mean, you really haven't noticed?"

Her silence was answer enough.

"I care about you. I mean, I-" He resembled a young boy, blushing, and tugging at his hair, his previous cool demeanor all but gone. "I really like you. How can I possibly sit around watching you kiss some guy like it were nothing? Honestly Chaerin, what kind of guy do you take me for? Say something."

Her cheeks were ablaze and she wasn't sure how to respond.

So, she settled for kissing him. He was positively fantastic at that and did not seem the least bit bothered.

The next day, she sat idly by waiting for a fresh batch of customers. No matter what her Yongguk desired, she was going to continue on working at her booth.

Crisp bills were waved in front of her face coyly. She pocketed the money and was suddenly ensnared by his kiss.

"Ah," She softly murmured against his lips. "I don't think my boyfriend would approve, good sir."

"No, I'm sure he wouldn't. Perhaps, you should work the ticket booth." He traced her jaw with his thumb.

"I'm afraid I quite like this job." She whispered demurely.

"And I'm afraid I will have to be a loyal customer." Yongguk promised.

"You are terrible!" She gleefully cried.

Chaerin could not wait for the next couple of days.

"Just don't ravage my lips, alright? I still have an image to maintain."

He laughed and prepared to melt her protest with a kiss.

"There's no guarantee."